


Beneficial Arrangements

by Beth Harker (Beth_Harker)



Category: Newsies (1992)
Genre: Canon Era, Depression, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-07
Updated: 2015-12-07
Packaged: 2019-09-29 21:41:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17211458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beth_Harker/pseuds/Beth%20Harker
Summary: Mush would like Skittery to meet somebody.





	Beneficial Arrangements

“I want you to meet someone, okay?” Mush says. He’s doing his best to drag Skittery along, and Skittery can’t help but think that he’s planned this carefully. It had been rainy for the last three days, and Mush hadn’t bothered asking anything of Skittery, except that he eat a little, drink some water. Now the day was shining and warm, full of spring freshness, and Skittery could feel a bit of life in him - not enough, never enough, but he’d gotten up and showered almost on his own accord.

That didn’t mean that Skittery was up for adventures or expeditions, or that he didn’t know that Mush, with his happy, bright face, was almost certainly up to something.

“Who?” Skittery asks, planting his feet firmly on the ground. “Why? Spit it out, Mush. I ain’t got all day.”

Mush sighs, and Skittery feels almost bad about it. He stands in front of Skittery, one warm hand resting lightly on each of Skittery’s wrists, and this intimacy at least is uncalculated; it’s easy and natural, a part of Mush whether Skittery cooperates or not, but it makes Skittery’s sluggish pulse quicken, and he knows that it will be what wins him over in the end.

“You'se got all day. Ain’t like we’re doing nothin’ else. Come on, Skittery, please?”

 _Ain’t like we’re doing nothin’ else._. It’s a fact rather than an accusation. Skittery knows it. He also knows that it isn’t Mush’s way to accuse anybody of anything. That’s why Mush keeps company with losers - Blink with his hair trigger temper, Snitch who will tattle on someone as soon as look at them, and increasingly Skittery, who knows he has let things get bad, really damn bad, and is starting to fall in love with the one person who will give him the time of day, even if he can’t always get out of bed, or pick up a stack of papes for him.

“At least least tell me who we’re going to see.”

“Old Mr. Khohl. He lives on the lower east side.” Already Mush is dragging Skittery forward, and Skittery doesn’t resist. He doesn’t move all that quickly, but he doesn’t resist.

“Yeah? What about him? The name means nothing to me.”

“He’s blind.”

“So?”

“He likes to read.”

“Sounds unfortunate. So what’s it to me?”

For just a second, Skittery thinks he catches a hint of disappointment in Mush’s face. It flickers, and then it’s gone, and he merely looks patient again, confident that Skittery will come around soon enough. Skittery hopes it’s not going to turn into some kind of charity run, then feels hates himself for thinking that. It’s not that he’s selfish; it’s that he’s tired, and what if talking to this old Mr. Kohl sucks all the energy out of him, and he’s got nothing left to tell Tumbler a bedtime story before he goes to sleep that night?

“He wants somebody to read to him!” Mush says, like this is the best news he’s ever had the chance to give. “Just one day a week, but he’ll pay fifty cents! He’ll even throw in lunch. He don’t got any family, and educated folk would want more money for their time, but he don’t need that. And you’ve got a nice, quiet voice. He’ll like you, and then you can get outta selling for a day, maybe two of you'se careful with the money. You don’t even gotta get up early or walk far.”

“So where’s the catch?” Skittery asks, still trying for cynical. In truth he was worried that this was really as good a deal as it seemed, and he was going to mess it up somehow, like he did everything else.

“No catch! I’ve known the guy for… For years! I used to sell to him when I was a little kid. A real loyal customer, you know? And we kept to talking after he couldn’t see, and come on Skits, I know it’s gonna be perfect!”

Skittery has one last question, unforgivingly cruel and suspicious, but Mush has to know, had to understand what kind of person Skittery is. “So if it’s such a good deal, why don’t you take it yourself? You stupid, or you got something you ain’t telling me?”

“I don’t need it,” Mush answers quietly. “I thought you might. I like you a lot, Skits. I wanna see some good things come your way for once. Ain’t sure why nothing ever does.”

“Me neither,” Skittery agrees. “ ‘Cept for you,” he adds on impulse, not quite able to look at Mush as he says it. “Seems you’re a pretty good thing that’s come my way. Sorry I don’t always show it.”

This wins a smile from Mush. Is he blushing? Skittery doesn’t dare to believe it. It seems like too much to hope for.

“The house is here. Ninth floor. Sorry.”

Skittery groans, but he lets it happen, lets Mush lead him up.


End file.
